


in the shade of your smile

by onlyeverthus



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen, Post-Episode: s10e08 The Lie of the Land
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-09 03:34:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11096031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyeverthus/pseuds/onlyeverthus
Summary: After the events of The Lie of the Land, the Doctor, Bill, and Nardole take a much needed vacation together.





	in the shade of your smile

The sun was high overhead, a white coin in a bright blue sky, warming the sand below. The crashing of the waves, the sound of children laughing, and the call of birds all combined to create the kind of symphony heard only at beaches, and Bill smiled.

She was settled comfortably in a lounge chair, wearing a high-waisted two-piece swimsuit. Her hair was pulled up in a high bun, and sunglasses protected her eyes from the worst of the sun. A large beach umbrella was sticking out of the sand between her chair and the empty one to her right, and all in all, she felt rather content.

There were footsteps behind her, and a moment later, Nardole appeared, wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt, a hat securely on top of his head, and holding a glass in each hand.

"Here you are," he said, handing Bill one of the glasses.

"Thanks, Nardole," Bill replied, smiling up at him. He smiled back as they clinked their glasses together, and Bill took a sip of hers. The cold, sweet drink was like heaven, and she let her head fall back against her chair.

Footsteps sounded again, and Nardole glanced back before announcing he was going to take a walk. Bill watched him go, and then looked up again as the Doctor came into view.

"Those aren't really beach clothes," Bill said, smirking at his customary dark trousers, jumper, and hoodie.

"Ah, well, bare arms aren't really my thing," he replied as he removed Nardole's knitting from the chair beside her so he could sink down into it.

Bill shook her head, still smirking as she watched him get comfortable, and he looked over at her once he was settled.

"Enjoying your vacation?"

"Yeah, this is really nice, after... you know." She flashed a smile as she set her drink down on the small table between them. "Thanks for bringing me."

Silence stretched between them, both watching the waves come in, and then the Doctor took a breath.

"I get the feeling something is bothering you."

Bill didn't look at him for a long moment, still staring at the ocean as she idly traced one of the stripes on her swimsuit, and finally shook her head.

"I shot you," she whispered, barely audible over the waves and the wind. "I thought – I thought you had joined the monks, and I couldn't let them have you, but I still – I _shot_ you."

"I'm not angry with you, Bill, nor do I blame you," the Doctor said. "Remember, I planned for that possibility. Inevitability, really."

"But how could you know?" Bill looked over at him, and shook her head again. "How could you know I was going to do that?"

"Human nature has told me, time and again, that when faced when a terrible threat and backed into a corner, desperate, with no way out, many people will view death as a preferable option. Like you said, you thought I had joined the monks, and you couldn't let them have me." He met her gaze, and raised his eyebrows. "You came to save me, and by shooting me, you thought you were."

Bill took a breath and removed her sunglasses to swipe at her eyes.

"I know those six months were hard on you," the Doctor continued. "And I know my deception was difficult as well –"

"It was cruel," Bill interrupted shortly. "D'you realize that? Making me think..." She trailed off with a shaky breath and looked away.

"I do realize that."

"And you know, if you had just told me you were blind sooner, none of this might have happened."

The Doctor remained silent, and Bill stood abruptly, suddenly needing to get away. She hadn't taken more than a couple of steps, though, before the Doctor's hands were on her shoulders, turning her around.

"I am sorry, Bill," he murmured, blue eyes intent on her face. "I'm sorry for lying to you, and I'm sorry for deceiving you."

Bill stared up at him a moment, pressing her lips together as her chin quivered, and then wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug, resting her head against his chest.

"I love you, old man," she whispered as a tear slipped from her eye.

Though he didn't respond, his arms settled around her shoulders after a beat, and she held him a moment longer before stepping back.

"Even if you do have appalling beachwear," she added, sniffling as the corner of her mouth lifted.

The Doctor arched an eyebrow. "I promise you, Bill, you really don't want to see me in a swimsuit. Or whatever it is that Nardole's wearing."

Bill laughed. "At least what he's wearing is beach-appropriate."

"In theory."

Bill laughed again, and shook her head as she gave his hand a squeeze before starting across the sand to join Nardole, who was standing in the waves.

The Doctor stood in place, allowing a small smile to curve his lips as he watched her go, and then walked back to his beach chair to settle under the shade of the umbrella.


End file.
